The National tribune., 1887-09-08
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
WHEAT RAISING.

WHEAT RAISING.
How TO secure large yield of wheat with
the least possible expense is now an all-impor-
tant question with the farmer, in the older
States, at least Ia the vast area of the Western
States aud Territories, where the land is rich
and comparatively fresh, this question is not
forced upon the farmer, for he generally makes
rs much wheat as he can well take care of and
get to market. Besides, his wants are few and
simple, while. in the older States, where the
land has been partially worn out, crops reduced,
expenditures increased, and his wants multi
piled. he must look TO science or something else
to help him out He would like to raise a big
crop of wheat, but he has not a sufiqency of
barn-yard manure to enable him TO do So
What he wants TO know is what he shall use rs
a substitute, and how best to use it. This will
depend very much upon circumstances. If You
wish to raise grass mot clover after the wheat
and there is goodly supply of vegetable mat
ter in the land th en- freshly ground bonemeal is
undoubtedly the best. But if you wish to follow
the wheat with clover, then superphosphate
is preferable to boncmeal in that il acts quicker
ami in addition to the crop Of wheat will pro-
duce good crops Of clover for several years there
after. If however, the land is so poor as to be
unable Of itself To produce either wheat or straw
then, by all means, use firstc!as ammoniated
phosphate containing not less than two per
cent. OF potash. But if you fear an excess of
straw and but little grain, then il would DO
perfectly useless TO use highly ammOniated
fertilizer, but soluble phOsph0ric acid as it has
a tendency to make tie berry plump as well as
stillen the straw. If there should be any fears
Of the wheat lodging badly, there is nothing
will prevent il more readily than an application
of 500 or 400 pounds of common salt, either 20
be s0wn broadcast or drilled in with the wheat
or il may be sown broadcast over the wheat at
any time through the Winter, with equally good
results. In reference 10 bonemcal farmers are
very often imposed upon by its being adulter-
atcd with ground oyster shells, plaster or other
material and sold 70 them as pure bone. Fresh
bone too from the meat shops and canning
establishments, is worth double that of old
bones that have been bleaching in the sun for
many years, such as are found on the bOuudless
plains Of the West and gathered up to be ground
into bonemeal. To sum up, then: As a rule,
billy lands require an ammoniated phosphate,
While bottom lands, or those which contain q
snperabundance OF vegetable matter, show bet
ter results from the application Of plain super
phosphate or bOnemcal, uuadulterated with
ether mateTial.-GerlaaHt0tU Telegraph.
WEEDS.
1t is frequently question Of expediency
whether farmer should spend labor aud time
In wholly e1terminaiing weeds FROM the land
It is the pride OF COOL farmer 10 point to his
fields and say there is not a weed TO be seen.
This may not, however, be good farming for
good farming is to make the most profit from
the land without injury 10 it. If weeds
are prevented from seeding and pcrpetuating
themselves, with their enormous increase, this
& Z, IL r..
| purpose. Land exposed TO the bare scorch-
I ing sun and pouring rains suffers injury. The
\ heat Of the sun favors active nitriieatiOn, and
\ the soluble nitrates arc quickly washed down
/ into the subsoil and DISAPPEAR in the drainage
/ water. and arc thus lost beyond recovery from
/ the bare land. But any kind Of growing
/ plants which spring up upon the stubbles
I take up this combined nitrogen so rapidly
| formed under the heat Of the August aud
/ September sun. Thus the prevailing rag
| weed which covers the cat stubbles should by
no means be charged as the evidence of a
| slOvenly farmer, as Is sometimes done by per-
1 sons who never owned a farm or held p!ow.
! 1t is well to leave these weeds 10 cover the
/ ground and turn them under, with the nitro
gen aud other plant food they have gathered
from the soil, and thus secure a large amount
Of fertilizing matter which would otherwise
/ have escaped them. Weeds among growing
crops are true parasites, robbing the legitimate
/ plants; but when the land is not under any
crop for the short intervals ofculture they serve
useful purpose, and are not in any way indi-
cations Of slOyenly farmer.
INSECT PESTS.
Farmers In one respect are an unfortunate
! class, as being the victims Of climatic influences
and the destructive attacks Of insect pests, COM
polling a continued and persistent warfare.
4 The advent OF the Colorado potato bug adds iu-
.~gI1 H. a a.
| the potato crop, and there seems to be no i'm
mediate hope fan exemption from their attacks
One mode is 10 encourage such rapid and
vigorous growth of vines as To throw them be-
you'd the destructive power Of the bugs, and
this can be accomplished; otherwise resort must
be had 10 Paris green and London purple
Eternal vigilance IS the price Of success.
CURE FOR collie WANTED.
EDITOR NATIONAL Tribune: Doesany com
rade know what medicine was used during the
war for collie in horses? There was a medicine
used, few drops of which put on the tongue OF
the animal, would cure IL in few minutes
Anyone sending me this. or any other good re
eeipr, will confer great fayor.-N. w. G. HAIR
PER, Prattsburg, Kan.
NOTES
- Authorities differ as to the best time t.
cut hay. As rule farmers wait too long be-
fore cutting, aud to strike it just right require:
judgment aud experience.
- The class of roses termed hybrid perpet
uals or commonly ii. P.s, while by no means
perpetual bloomers, as the name would seem Il
signify, are the fayorites among those who love
the rose.
- If the earth turns up lumpy after the plow
roll and harrow il reasonably fine at once with
cut waiting for rain. A light shower, which
would not moisten hard Jumps, will render
small ones ft 10 moulder fine as ashes
- Old leather contains q considerable PEI
centage of ammonia compounds which, though
said 10 be insolnble. are, in fact, very slowly
soluable. good way 10 dispose Of old boots
therefore, is TO bury them at the foot Of an ap
: pie tree.
Will it pay 10 grow black walnuts ant
then wait? A black walnut tree in Michigan
lately sold for S2l5. No doubt If the yoanj
/. trees were planted in 40 feet apart eacl
way and cultivated they would be valuable a
a special crop, as % trees could thus be grown
; Oh one acre. Though late. the returns woul'
be sure, and unused land could be proftabl,
devoted 10 them.
- As soon as the blackberries and raspberrie
are all gathered, cut out the canes that hay
. borne and tie up those that are to bear mex
year. The strawberry beds should be cleared O
( weeds, and before the ground freezes hard hav
!. heavy mulch Of straw or bog hay.
- Every time you use the cultiyator in orde
: 20 kill out the grass and weeds you are at tn
, same time stirring the SOIL thereby admittin
/. more air TO the roots OF the plants providing
!, greater amount of moisture and converting til
. fNsca fNttl Ia aulcf 1T. IL